OCI fish plant in Fortune reopens
Plant will process some yellowtail flounder, company will export rest of the fish unprocessed
The Ocean Choice International fish processing plant in Fortune reopened on Wednesday with a promise of money from the Newfoundland and Labrador government and jobs from the company.
Blaine Sullivan, the chief operating officer for OCI, said the facility will create a minimum of 110 jobs for at least five years.
"We're looking forward to 40 plus weeks of work here next year. I think our commitment is 36, and we're looking forward to beating that," said Sullivan.
"We made a big investment and we hope to make work and we really believe the people here in Fortune will work with us to make sure it's successful."
The provincial government has provided $300,000 to the company to help it modernize the facility.
Processing agreement attached to plant reopening
On Dec. 21, 2012, OCI and the province reached an agreement which allowed the company to export up to 75 per cent of its yellowtail flounder unprocessed, with the remaining fish being processed at the Fortune plant.
The agreement was controversial, with the Fish, Food and Allied Workers' Union opposing it, while the workers at the plant in Fortune supported it.
OCI will process yellowtail at the Fortune plant, and the company has leased a new vessel to catch cod, which will also be processed in Fortune.